Ensuring health and safety in schools is an essential part of any supervisory officer’s responsibilities.Council of Ontario Directors of Education

Workplace violence and harassment, “is a concern when working with students in general, and particularly for educational assistants and teachers who work with special needs students.”(Education sub-sector, Industrial Sector Plan 2012-2013, Ministry of Labour)

Accidents, deaths, and injuries have far reaching effects on students, educators, families and communities. The fact is they are preventable, and everyone has a role to play in that prevention.Sam Hammond, ETFO President

To help ensure that students have acceptable, suitable environments to learn in, the Ministry of Education should develop an ongoing process to identify and address urgent capital renewal needs before schools become prohibitive to repair.School Renewal and Maintenance, 2010 Annual Report of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario

Workplace complaints to the ministry about exposures to chemicals and a lack of proper ventilation are often associated with larger-scale maintenance activities or renovations.(Education sub-sector, Industrial Sector Plan 2012-2013, Ministry of Labour)

Workplace Violence Reporting Flowchart

Violence – Workplace Injury and Illness is the third and final video in ETFO’s three-part series on workplace violence. This video focuses on violence-related workplace injuries and illnesses and the important steps that members must take when they occur.

Risk Assessment and Safety Plans is the second video in ETFO’s three-part series on workplace violence in schools. This video focuses on how the risks of violence are controlled in schools.

Please take a few minutes to check it out.

ETFO’s first video, ETFO Takes Action on Violence in Schools, describes the important role that ETFO members play to ensure that workplace violence incidents get reported.

Please take a few minutes to check it out.

Read more here about ETFO’s multi-year strategy for dealing with workplace violence.
Use the blue index list to access information about Workplace Violence, Workplace Harassment and Serious Student Incidents.

ETFO’s Call to Action to Address Violent Incidents in Schools

In January 2017, ETFO issued a Call to Action to Address Violent Incidents in Schools. The Call to Action makes recommendations to the government for stronger funding and resources for special education; a comprehensive approach to supporting children’s mental health; proactive supports from both Ministries of Education and Labour to assure school board compliance with health and safety legislation; and better health and safety training for superintendents, principals and staff. Read about ETFO’s media conference for the Call to Action at:

This brochure offers some handy information about ETFO’s action plan for workplace violence. There is some useful information about legal and policy requirements for workplace violence, including your right to be safe at work. There is a quick summary of reporting procedures for workplace violence and serious student incidents…including what the principal is supposed to do next. The brochure encourages ETFO members to reach out to their ETFO local, and to ETFO provincial, for further supports.

This glossary provides ETFO members with a basic list of definitions related to issues of workplace violence and serious student incidents.

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WALLET CARD: Download this wallet card that is a handy reference for members regarding their duty to report workplace violence, the steps they need to know about reporting violent incidents and their right to refuse unsafe work.

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New plans for dealing with workplace violence

The Ministry of Labour (MOL) and the Ministry of Education (EDU) have taken important new steps to work with ETFO and other education partners on dealing with workplace violence in Ontario’s publicly funded schools. The Ministries have begun a consultation process with the Provincial Working Group on Health and Safety (PWGHS) with a plan to develop new guidance materials; to improve access to needed information; and to improve reporting requirements. Ministry of Labour inspectors will be getting more training for dealing with workplace violence in school boards. Ministry of Labour staff will be meeting with all school boards in 2017/2018 to review their duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In addition, the Ministry of Education has confirmed its commitment to the production of a new resource for dealing with students who have challenging behaviours. These new plans for dealing with workplace violence are set out in a recent letter from the Ministers of Labour and Education to the PWGHS. You can read the letter here:

Violence in the Early Years

In many of our Kindergarten to Grade 3 classrooms violent behaviour is becoming more common. There are a significant number of violent incidents occurring in the classrooms of our youngest elementary school students, with children as young as 3 or 4 causing physical injury to both other students and staff.

Addressing Violence in the Workplace

When workplace violence happens in schools there is a risk of physical and mental harm to both adults and children. The classroom is disrupted and the whole school community can be affected. Both educators and students can become fearful at the prospect of violence happening again. Go to http://etfovoice.ca/article/addressing-violence%C2%A0-workplace to read the short article, Addressing Violence in the Workplace.

The Student Safety Plan – a working document

When a student has high risk behaviours that could cause injury, a Safety Plan can be developed to assist with controlling those risks. The Student Safety Plan is designed to assist with protecting the student and others, including other students and staff. The Student Safety Plan includes vital information such as a description of the unsafe behaviours; preventative strategies; how to get immediate assistance; steps to protect the student, staff and other students from injury; crisis response; first aid; emergency procedures; and reporting requirements. The Student Safety Plan is developed in consultation with the staff who know the student best. It is revised as often as necessary to ensure that the protections are working.